Vikings' Adrian Peterson misses record, feels like MVP in his heart

The chants tumbled down from the Metrodome's south end-zone seats as the NFL's best running back ambled into the end zone to be wired for one last national television interview.

"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

Peterson stood with the microphone in his right hand, a dime-sized chunk of skin missing from his battered elbow, his pant legs smeared with blood, sweat dripping from his forehead, surrounded by a throng of cameras and microphones.

"MVP! MVP! MVP!"

Adrian Peterson smiled, put three fingers from his left hand to his lips and blew a kiss to jubilant Vikings fans celebrating a 37-34 victory over archrival Green Bay on Sunday, Dec. 30. His 199-yard performance, which punctuated a 2,097-yard season that was the second-greatest ever by a ball carrier, effectively delivered Minnesota back to the playoffs for the first time in three years.

Later, showered and nattily dressed in a beige suit for his news conference, Peterson acknowledged he felt "bittersweet," coming so close to history, but never lost focus of the stakes of this game and the import of a clutch victory.

"The first thing that came to my mind when I heard that it was 9 yards short was, 'It is what it is. It wasn't meant to happen,' " he said. "Not to say it doesn't hurt, because it does.

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We came in here tonight and accomplished the ultimate goal of getting a win and taking our team into the playoffs."

The image of Peterson basking as only the seventh player in NFL history to eclipse 2,000 yards was remarkable considering where he was exactly one year earlier, after surgery to repair two torn ligaments in his left knee.

Who could forget the gloomy New Year's photograph of a shirtless Peterson in the recovery room in Birmingham, Ala., pink fedora party hat half-cocked on his head, noisemaker dangling from lips, ice cream in one hand, IV tube coming out of the other -- uncertainty invisible but palpable.

Remarkable has become cliche to summarize Peterson's ability coming back from a career-threatening injury to be more powerful, productive and confident than he was before his knee was shredded in that meaningless Week 16 game in Washington last year.

"He's a special player. He's an MVP in the hearts of every Minnesota Viking," team President Mark Wilf said in a joyous locker room. "We just appreciate how hard he worked after that injury and how he came back after that adversity. He's a special person. We're just excited he's on our team."

Dickerson tweeted congratulations to Peterson and wished him luck in the playoffs but made it clear he was pleased to retain his 28-year-old record.

"Daddy keeps the record!!!!! My son will break one day :)," said @EricDickerson. "Just want to say that Adrian is a Great player & if my record had to fall I would like it to go to a player like A.P.!"

Peterson gashed the Packers for 26 yards on his final run, advancing the Vikings to Green Bay's 11-yard line with 24 seconds remaining. The Vikings allowed the clock to run down to three seconds before calling timeout to set up Blair Walsh's 29-yard winning field goal.

Coach Leslie Frazier said his assistant coaches communicated Peterson's statistics through headsets, but there was no consideration to stop the clock earlier and give another carry to Peterson, who had a career-high 34 but remained purposely unaware of where he was in the pursuit.

"We were never calling plays or structuring things to get him the record," Frazier said. "It was all in the flow of the game. It just so happens he ends up 9 yards short."

Peterson is locked in a pitched battle for comeback player of the year and most valuable player -- with Denver quarterback Peyton Manning, who returned after sitting out a season because of neck surgery to pilot the Broncos to 11 straight victories and earn a first-round playoff bye.

Manning has been sensational at age 36. The Broncos also were a playoff team last season without him. Safe to say without Peterson's 2,097 yards and fear-mongering of defenses the Vikings would be packing for the offseason Monday at Winter Park instead of preparing for a rematch with Green Bay in the NFC Wild Card playoffs.

"He is without question the best running back in our game and, truly, the MVP of our league," Frazier said. "We don't win this game today without the effort of Adrian Peterson."

Facing a Packers defense committed to crowding safeties into the box and stopping the man who put 210 on them four weeks ago at Lambeau Field, Peterson willed himself off would-be tacklers and busted runs of 28 and 26 yards while averaging 5.9 per carry.

"We love blocking for the best back in the league," center John Sullivan said. "A guy that is selfless and helps us win. He leaves it all on the field every single time."

Peterson left a lot on the field in 2012 -- blood, sweat and skin, dozens of flailing defenders and a legacy that continues to grow, whether or not NFL voters pronounce him the most valuable.

"I don't let rewards identify me. I go out and let it find me," he said. "Surprised if I win it or not? I can't say I don't want to, just like I wanted to break the record. Either way, in my heart, I'm the MVP and that's all that matters."